Psychonaut – Worldmaker

Written by on 15-11-2025 at 09:05.

Too late. Yes, I know. Way too late. But sometimes an album just needs that extra bit of time and attention to truly land. To really sink in, to reach that point where the words simply flow onto the digital canvas. Apparently, an extra week was exactly what it took. And apparently, that week was also just enough time for me to fall head over heels for Worldmaker. It’s been a long while since an album made me crave another listen after every single spin, and then another, and another. To the point where even that one Swedish music service started wondering if I’d lost my mind. Psychonaut’s music has always had a spellbinding, addictive quality to it, but this new work might take that effect even further. Worldmaker seems to be a fitting title in times when the world is anything but perfect. Luckily, this Belgian trio manages to create — if only for a brief hour — a better place to be.

Driven by personal grief (the illness of vocalist/guitarist Stefan’s father and bassist/vocalist Thomas’s father shortly after) and personal joy (Stefan’s impending fatherhood), the album took on a different thematic direction, giving the progressive post-metal a fresh musical expression. Such life events change you as a person: they sharpen your focus on what truly matters in the here and now. That sense of introspection and clarity is reflected in the music, which leans more toward the psychedelic end of the spectrum (think King Buffalo or Dool) and less toward the pounding, sludgy post-metal that dominated their excellent previous album Violate Consensus Reality. This time, the music feels more deliberate, more refined, and perhaps even more layered than ever before. Take the loungy Worldmaker or the dreamy …Everything Else Is Just The Weather. Both showcase this nuanced approach beautifully. Within individual tracks, too, the band masterfully builds tension and atmosphere, ensuring that the album remains engaging as a whole and that the hypnotic mood hits all the harder when it finally sets in. And You Came With Searing Light is a perfect example, blending sprawling shoegaze passages with swirling progressive guitar work and heavy outbursts. Stellar work. Likewise, the captivating Stargazer expertly balances airy indie rock and entrancing dark rock dynamics.

Of course, the heavy side isn’t absent from the mix. It’s just used more sparingly, surfacing with satisfying force in You Are The Sky… and All In Time (do I hear an almost-breakdown there?). Here we witness a band that’s taken its final step into full maturity. It’s a smart move, one that allows each of the three musicians to shine more individually while keeping the focus on the musical interplay. The ultimate example of this is the instrumental Origins, which, at over six minutes long, never loses momentum and even flirts with a slight blackened edge. You could almost say that Psychonaut could make an excellent album without vocals. Thankfully, they don’t, because the clean harmonies between Stefan and Thomas work wonders throughout. Meanwhile, Stefan’s intense screams add just the edge to fuel the heavier moments. Still, the progressive guitar lines remain a personal highlight, surfacing time and again (Endless Currents, You Are The Sky, And You Came With Searing Light). And let’s not forget drummer Harm Peters, who seems to take his wild rhythmic approach to the next level here, leaving a powerful mark on the overall musical experience.

With Worldmaker, Psychonaut delivers an album that might demand a bit of effort from the listener. It’s not so challenging that it ever feels like hard work, but it is incredibly layered, inviting you to uncover new details with every spin. The often hypnotic, repetitive music almost works like a mantra, slowly etching itself into your mind. With every listen, the pathways deepen, and the music seeps just a little further under your skin. So don’t stop at a single playthrough, this one truly deserves more than that.

Score:

87/100

Label:

Pelagic Records, 2025

Tracklisting:

  1. World Maker
  2. Endless Currents
  3. You Are The Sky
  4. Everything Else Is Just The Weather
  5. And You Came With Searing Light
  6. Origins
  7. All In Time
  8. Stargazer
  9. All Was Quiet
  10. Endless Erosion

Line-up:

  • Stefan de Graef  – Vocals, guitar
  • Thomas Michiels – Bass guitar, vocals
  • Harm Peters – Drums

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